Julia Bradbury
Julia Bradbury (born 24 July 1970, Dublin, Republic of Ireland) is an Irish-born British television presenter, best known for presenting the BBC One programme Countryfile and other documentaries and consumer affairs programmes. Early years Bradbury's Derbyshire-born, steel-industry father, Cambridge graduate Michael Bradbury, and Greek mother Chrissi were in the Republic of Ireland when Bradbury was born.Biography Julia Bradbury The family returned to England, where she attended primary school in Edith Weston, Rutland, followed by King Edward VII School in Sheffield, where her father worked for British Steel and her mother ran a fashion business. Bradbury attended acting classes, and took part as a child in the Crucible Theatre's stage production of Peter Pan, starring Joanne Whalley and Paula Wilcox. Bradbury left school at 16 after O-levels and worked in advertising in various capacities, including a stint with the family business. Broadcasting career Television Bradbury started as a TV presenter with Chrysalis TV, followed by L!VE TV, before making the transition in 1996 from cable TV to terrestrial with GMTV as their Los Angeles correspondent. She has since presented Watchdog, Top Gear,5 minutes with... Julia Bradbury TalkTalk Accidental Heroes,Real Life: Accidental Heroes Express.co.uk, 28 August 2008 Wainwright Walks and Railway Walks for the BBC, as well as Rough Guide for Channel 5.Julia Bradbury and Toby Amies OK Magazine, 9 December 2008 She has also presented Wish You Were Here...? for ITVJulia Bradbury womenspeakers.co.uk and anchored Exclusive! for Five.My Life In Media: Presenter Julia Bradbury The Independent, 29 October 2007 With Tim Vine, she presented the launch of Channel 5 in 1997.Comedy - Tim Vine Croydon Advertiser, 12 September 2008 With co-host Arkin Salih she hosted the BBC's Are We Being Served?, which examined customer service in the UK and ran for six programmes in the summer of 2006.Watchdog BBC One From 2008 to 2010 she presented three series of Kill It, Cook It, Eat It on BBC Three. My perfect day: Julia Bradbury Walk - The Magazine of the Ramblers, 28 August 2009 The first series concentrated on commercially farmed animals such as chickens, pigs, sheep and cattle. The second series featured hunted wild game such as ducks, rabbits, deer and grouse. The third series focused on fast food; a group of six people went through the process of killing, cooking and eating animals.Kill it Cook it Eat it Pipers Farm, 8 January 2010 From 2 March 2009 Bradbury was temporarily replaced on BBC One's Watchdog show by new co-presenter Anita Rani, following allegations in the press concerning irregularities in Bradbury's Virgin Atlantic frequent flyer account. Watchdog host Julia Bradbury linked to £20,000 air mile scam London Evening Standard, 20 February 2009 On 15 April 2009, Bradbury was cleared of any wrong doing in the investigation and it was confirmed that she would return to present Watchdog, which she did on 20 April 2009.Presenter to return to Watchdog BBC News, 15 April 2009 She did, however, have to repay £20,000 worth of Air Miles,Watchdog presenter Julia Bradbury forced to pay back frequent flyer miles Times Online, 16 April 2009Watchdog presenter Julia Bradbury repays £20,000 in air miles for unpaid flights and returns to TV Mirror.co.uk, 16 April 2009 and a few weeks later the BBC announced that Anne Robinson was returning as presenter.Anne Robinson returns to Watchdog BBC News, 11 May 2009 In April 2009 she started presenting a relaunched, primetime CountryfileCountryfile peak-time move sparks ageism row guardian.co.uk, 28 November 2008 with Matt Baker.Presenter O'Reilly seeks BBC 'ageism' compensation BBC News, 2 February 2010Julia Bradbury boosts ratings on sexed-up Countryfile Mail Online, 4 September 2009 In June 2011 she presented a 5 part series Kill It, Cut It, Use it on BBC Three. Focusing on how animal products are used outside of the meat trade. The programmes separately focused on: Cow, Sheep, Pig and Fish. Bradbury was joined by young consumers to uncover the surprising animal origins of many of our favourite things as they followed the transformation of each body part from abattoir to shop floor. Walking and climbing programmes In August 2007 she presented Ultimate Britain – Climbing on BBC One, with rock climber Tim Emmett. Bradbury's lifetime ambition to be a 'real' rock climber was achieved when the pair successfully ascended Commando Ridge in Cornwall, Crackstone Rib in the Llanberis Pass, North Wales, and the Old Man of Stoer in Sutherland, Scotland. That year she also presented Wainwright Walks on BBC Four, in which she followed the mountain routes of the renowned fell walker and guidebook author Alfred Wainwright. The series was later repeated on BBC Two and ran for two series. Her appearance in this and the Railway Walks series earned her the title of "Walking Man's Totty".INTERVIEW: Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury Caravan Times, 1 March 2010A Walk on the Wild Side: Julia Bradbury Daily Mail, 19 June 2010 On 20 July 2009 her series Coast to Coast started on BBC Two.The Coast to Coast WalkStick-in-the-mud Julia's Coast-to-Coast will screen in spring grough, 20 October 2008Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast BBC Four In 2010 Bradbury went to South Africa and embarked on a series of South Africa Walks as part of South Africa season for the BBC during the 2010 World Cup.BBC South Africa Season Sky TV, April 2010South Africa Walks guardian.co.uk, 16 June 2010 In December 2010 she presented another walking-themed series, Julia Bradbury's German Wanderlust on BBC Four in which she explored Germany and its Romantic movement through a series of walks across the country.TV review: Al Murray's German Adventure and Julia Bradbury's German Wanderlust guardian.co.uk, 2 December 2010 The series was repeated on BBC Two in January and February 2011.Episodes from Julia Bradbury's German Wanderlust BBC Four Another walking program, Julia Bradbury's Icelandic Walk, aired on 11 May 2011 on BBC Four. Her challenge was to walk the 60 kilometres of Iceland's most famous hiking route, which includes the newest hills on Earth. This route ends at Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that brought air traffic across Europe to a standstill in 2010. She also presented a new series in May 2011, following the routes of some of the UK's canals.http://www.waterways.org.uk/campaigns/news/other_news/julia_bradbury_s_canal_walks_on_bbc4 Radio Bradbury has also presented on radio for BBC London 94.9,The Breakfast Show BBC London 94.9, 21 February 2011 and Radio 5 Live. She crossed NUJ picket lines to present Radio 5 Live's breakfast programme on 15th July 2011. She presented the programme with Ian Payne who also broke the strike. Other appearances In January 2007 Bradbury appeared as a contestant in Just the Two of Us on BBC One,Just the Two of Us - About the Show BBC, December 2006 singing alongside Tony Christie. In February 2009 Bradbury appeared on Celebrity Come Dine With Me alongside Christopher Biggins, Philip Olivier and Edwina Currie,Who's cooking in Celebrity Come Dine With Me Channel 4, 9 February 2009Celebrity Come Dine With Me Julia Bradbury and received a score of 19. She was one of the celebrities who in summer 2009 took part in the BBC programme Around the World in 80 Days, where 'in a re-enactment of Jules Verne's literary odyssey, six pairs of celebrities raced against the clock to raise money for 2009's BBC Children in Need'.Around the World in 80 Days BBC One, 15 November 2009 In January 2011, Bradbury appeared on an episode of The Magicians with professional magician Pete Firman. Personal life Bradbury lives in Rutland and West London with her Irish property developer husband Gerard Cunningham, who she married in 2000. In summer 2006, she was treated for endometriosis.My heavy periods were a sign I was at risk of infertility Mail Online, 16 January 2007 In February 2011, Bradbury and Cunningham announced they were expecting their first child, despite the problems associated with endometriosis.Pregnant Julia Bradbury tells of delight Scotsman.com News, 28 February 2011Julia Bradbury: 'Miracle' baby for TV star at 40 fertility-ovulation-pregnancy.com'Miracle' pregnancy for Julia Bradbury after she conceives first child at 40 despite fertility problems Mail Online, 28 February 2011 On 4 August 2011, it was announced Bradbury had given birth to a boy, who she and Cunningham named Zephyr. Charity work Bradbury is an ambassador for Marie Curie Cancer Care's Great Daffodil Appeal. In 2009 she competed in the Macmillan 4x4 UK ChallengeLand Rover Owner Mac 4x4 Feature Mac 4x4 UK Challenge, May 2009 with her sister, Gina Fox, raising £7,000 towards the £105,000 raised for Macmillan Cancer Support. Later that year she travelled from Kazakhstan to Mongolia with Countryfile co-star Matt Baker in BBC's Around the World in 80 Days in aid of Children in Need. In April 2010 Bradbury was one of several celebrities to pose naked to help promote Cancer Research UK's campaign to encourage donations of clothes to their charity shops.BBC stars shed clothes for charity... as they call on the public to strip their wardrobes Mail Online, 6 April 2010 She is President of the Friends of the Peak District and CPRE in South Yorkshire.Julia Bradbury: New President of Campaign to Protect Rural England, Peak District & South Yorkshire Derbyshire Life, 27 February 2009 In April 2010 she became president of the Ramblers. Kennet and Avon Canal relay marks Ramblers' anniversary BBC News, 8 May 2010 Bradbury also works with the British Heart Foundation to encourage people to exercise more. DVDs * Wainwright Walks Series 1 - presented by Julia Bradbury (2007) * Wainwright Walks Series 2 - presented by Julia Bradbury (2008) * Julia Bradbury's Railway Walks (2009) * Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast (2009) * The Julia Bradbury Collection (2009) * South Africa WalksSouth Africa Walks With Julia Bradbury (DVD) BBC Shop, 7 June 2010 * Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury (2011) References External links * Julia Bradbury Official website * * Lake District Walks - Julia Bradbury On The Coast To Coast Walks Category:Reporters